I personally believe some factors to consider in our journey as high priests
to “lead the way” stimulate the following as I’ve prayed and studied the
contemporary roles of the high priest:
1. Press up against the role of high priest the best “model” that
disciples have—Jesus.
2. Jesus’ leadership by recorded example included the following:
a. A deep commitment and calling to responsibly meet people where
they are “hurting” or “in pain” is important. He calls all people
uniquely to understand “one being is as precious in his sight as the
other” (Jacob 2:27).
b. The liberation theologians affirm that “Jesus leaned toward the poor
and oppressed.”
3. High priests, I believe, need to spend time developing their role by
the characteristics demonstrated in what the New Testament affirms was the
action-centered ministry Jesus daily experienced. What did he mean where it
is recorded “I call you my friends…”? This is a simple but significant
insight of Jesus as a high priest.
4. I recently started making a list of the unusual ways Jesus ministered, as
recorded in the New Testament, where he broke the laws of his time. My
preliminary list has over twenty, but I’m sure there were more. But why? I
don’t know except he ministered where needed, rather than be hampered by
secular laws. What does this say to high priests today? Maybe high priests
need to minister much more among the poor, sick, marginalized, abused,
jobless, those in prison, and those enslaved—in the forty plus nations where
the church is established.
5. William Barclay, a well respected Christian author, in his book, Jesus as
They Saw Him, affirms the following:
a. The name Jesus was a common name used almost 600 times in the
Bible. But by the second century the name Jesus was used less.
i. In Hebrew the name Jesus meant Savior.
ii. In Greek the name Jesus meant Healer. Barclay chose a hymn
related to this: “Jesus the name that calms our fear … it is life
and health and peace.”
iii. Then Barclay articulates in each of his forty-two chapters the
characteristics he resolved related to Jesus. But then he writes in
one chapter, “The title servant is the title in the light of which
all of the other titles must be seen—Servant. (For me, it is servant
and friend.)
6. I personally feel—after much prayer, struggle, light and darkness—the
time is now for high priests to model the servanthood of Jesus. Our sisters
and brothers internationally can help us if we “listen” rather than “tell,”
mentor rather than dominate, and pray unceasingly rather than dominate.
7. Let us all reflect regularly on the reality that we affirm as a church
that is “led by example” and should indeed be following the One who is our
leader. We need to be leading by prayer, mission, vision, calling, faith,
love—and express ourselves as action oriented. Jesus prayed and meditated,
but centered his life on vital ministries 80 plus percent of the time. The
sacred record expresses these centered in healing and less in the other two:
preaching and teaching.
8. As a wise Christian leader once wrote, “We need people with fire in their
bellies.” It is time to help ignite our ministry with fervor, vision, and
risk taking. People in every community are in pain. Theologian Paul Tillich
addresses this ministry as the “theology of doing.” A number of years ago I
did a study of the priesthood in my home congregation. We had over 250
priesthood members on our roles, but less than forty were showing any
evidence of the ministry of doing. Why? I have some ideas and you do too.
9. It will be extremely important that high priests center their ministry in
the congregation and their calling in the community they are privileged to
serve.
10. High priests can help set a renewed pattern for all priesthood of our
faith to facilitate. I’m personally delighted with the World Church
leadership decision to include the president of the Quorum of High Priests
on the World Church Leadership Council. May we “struggle together” as high
priests in the church to daily uphold our quorum president and her team in
prayer. May she sense regularly the enlightenment that is enriched by the
One we call Jesus—a faithful friend and servant.
